Bailey’s Bay, located in the heart of Hamilton Parish, bears a treasure trove of history. It was an important area in the late 19th century, and was home to many influential characters throughout Bermuda’s history. Here are 5 interesting historical facts about Bailey’s Bay that you may not already know:
1. Bailey’s Bay was an attractive and popular place for settlement in the early days of Bermuda due to the sheltered harbour and surrounding fertile land. Another reason being the gentle sloping shore, which was absolutely ideal for countless generations of shipbuilders. However, due to the railway and newly constructed roads, many of the slipways and shipbuilding yards have sadly disappeared.
2. The origin of the name “Bailey’s Bay” is somewhat of a mystery. It is thought it may be named after the Bailey family, who settled in Bermuda after 1617, but they lived in Pembroke and Devonshire. Or, it perhaps could be named after Captain John Baylie in 1623, but it is not known for certain. The spelling of the name has also changed throughout history. In 1626 it was referred to as “Bayly Bay” in a John Speed map, which was in fact based on the first map of Bermuda drawn by Richard Norwood in 1616. In a map dated 1783, Captain Andrew Dunford called it “Bailis Bay.”
3. All of the Bailey’s Bay Outerbridge’s trace their descent from Thomas Outerbridge (c.1553-1629), who is believed to have come from Hatfield in Yorkshire, England. Thomas Outerbridge married a woman named Ann, with whom he had one child, William. William eventually had four children, and thus, many Outerbridges on the island can claim descent. William’s son, also named Thomas, rose to local prominence and was a judge on the Court of Vice-Admiralty and served on the Governor’s Council from 1688-1691. Anna Maria Outerbridge describes the estate of her ancestor, Thomas “as being about eighty-four acres with good farm and grazing land in the hills and valleys above the Bay.” This would have encompassed all of the property west of Holy Trinity Church Road, up to where the Clay Estates are now, and over to Harrington Sound.
4. A well known character of Bailey’s Bay was Anna Maria Outerbridge (1848-1928). Ms. Outerbridge was quite a remarkable woman for her time. She studied in Bermuda under an American governess named Ellen August Sprague, went to school in the US and studied art in New York City. Anna Maria was an important figure of the women’s suffrage movement in Bermuda. She persuaded her father, Dr. Thaddeus Aubrey Outerbridge, to introduce a bill to enfranchise women. The bill was passed in the House of Assembly in 1895 and 1896, but was defeated in the Legislative Council. Ultimately, women had to wait until 1944 for the right to vote.
5. Captain Daniel Outerbridge Algate was the first documented owner of Sandymount, a single-story house built on the sheltered side of the hillside east of Bailey’s Bay. Sandymount dates back to the 1600s, but there are no records of ownership for its first 100 years of existence. However, in 1841, this historic house was purchased by Joseph Thomas Outerbridge for 160 pounds. Sandymount remained in the hands of Joseph and his heirs for 139 years, until Sandymount was sold in 1980. It is interesting to note that the current owner of Sandymount, Wendel Hollis, is a direct descendant of Captain Daniel Algate.
